Shipment of Hazardous Materials

Hazardous materials shipping is available Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday of each week.

Use of hazardous materials is an integral part of research at Iowa State University. At times, it is necessary to ship these hazardous materials to a colleague, another research facility, back to the manufacturer, or to a field research site. Hazardous materials may include such items as

When these materials are offered for transport by UPS, FedEx, or another commercial carrier, that shipment is regulated by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and/or international agencies (IATA, ICAO).

To comply with shipping regulations, these materials must be properly classified, packaged, documented, and handled by trained employees. Failure to meet these regulatory requirements may result in citations, fines, and/or imprisonment. Fines can range from $250 to $250,000 per violation.

Training

ISU employees who ship hazardous materials must take the following online courses, available in the Learn@ISU. Training must be updated every two years.

Hazardous Materials Shipping Awareness

Laboratory Safety: Core Concepts

Information for Travelers

Hazardous Materials Regulations forbid many items in carry-on and/or checked baggage. This include chemicals, biological materials, and lithium batteries. Passengers violating these regulations can be fined from $250 to $50,000. Before traveling, make sure that all materials in your carry-on/checked baggage are permitted.

For information on which materials are forbidden in carry-on and/or checked baggage see the FAA Pack Safe website.

FedEx has advised that all styrofoam coolers containing dry ice must be in a cardboard box.

Styrofoam containers that contain dry ice will not be accepted for shipment at Postal and Parcel unless enclosed in a cardboard box.